On Monday 12 March, crews from the Aberdeen Schools Rowing Association competed in the prestigious Schools' Head of the River Race., which takes place annually over a 6.8 kilometre stretch of the Thames from Mortlake to Putney. In both the Men's Junior Championship J15 Eights and the Men's Junior 16 Coxed Fours categories, ASRA put in superlative performances and struck gold on the Tideway for the first time in the club's history. In doing so, ASRA's J15 Eight, with their time of 17.54, set up a new course record for their age group and came in only eleven seconds behind the winners of the Junior 16 Eights.

On Tuesday 13th March at the Scullery Regatta on Dorney Lake, Eton, our J15 crew swapped sweep blades for sculling ones and Matthew Hughson, Archie Innes, Ashley Geddes & Oscar Forbes, coxed by Skye Ballance took bronze in a massive field of 62, with their teammates coming in 7th.

At the Aberdeen Eights Head of the River on Saturday17th February, ASRA’s Junior 18 squad continued the fine form it had shown at the Inverness heads by winning both divisions at a canter against opposition from all three local clubs – Aberdeen University, Robert Gordon University and Aberdeen Boat Club – as well as sizeable entries from Inverness Rowing Club and St Andrews University. Second on both occasions were members of ASRA’s highly promising Junior 15 squad.

Meanwhile down in Boston, Lincolnshire, at the GB Junior Long Distance Trials, ASRA athletes were taking important steps towards selection for GB teams at either this years’ Junior World Rowing Champs or the Coupe de la Jeunesse. Miles Beeson & Robert Powell, gold Medallists the Coupe in 2017 in the GB eight, came a brilliant third in their coxless pair in a field of 39 and Megan Hewison, in a scratch pairing with a partner from the Isle of Wight, came third in the equivalent junior women’s event.

At the 2018 Inverness Eights and Small Boats Head on Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th February 37 athletes from the Aberdeen Schools Rowing Association braved the bitterly cold winter weather to rack up 11 splendid category wins over the two days of competition.

At the Aberdeen Fours and Small Boats Head of the River Races on the Dee on Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th November, ASRA athletes recorded an impressive series of category wins against representative Junior and Senior crews from all over Scotland.

On Saturday 30th September at the Scottish Schools’ Rowing Council Head Races over a 4 kilometre course on the Forth & Clyde Canal between Banknock and Auchinstarry, 32 members of the Aberdeen Schools Rowing Association entered the lists against the best of Scotland’s U18 sweep rowers to win the Scottish Junior Club Champions’ Cup for the 8th year in succession.

At the annual ASRA Inter-Schools Regatta on 26 August the school-tie headbands and war paint were once again in evidence as ancient tribal rivalries were re-joined.

In a series of exciting races - sometimes for the closeness of the result and sometimes for the way our coxes seemed to home in on jetties or hapless ABC novices – the eventual winners of the Elliott Cup were pupils of The Albyn School.

The winners of the Inter-Schools Trophy for those who have attended Learn-To-Row courses over the summer were pupils from Cults Academy

On Saturday 19 August, ASRA athletes joined in the fun of the Aberdeen Sprint Regatta.

Competing against two other ASRA crews, the winners of the Open Novice Coxed Quadruple Sculls were the crew of Archie Innes, William Bricknell, Connor Kennedy and Harris Pearce, coxed by Skye Ballance.

In a straight final between two ASRA crews, Seth Turner and Sam Kelso triumphed in the Open Restricted 1 Double Sculls.

In the Women’s Novice Coxed Four, ASRA’s Skye Ballance, Steph Low, Meg Lewis and Iona Adams, coxed by Cheyanne Taylor won an exciting semi-final against one Aberdeen Boat Club crew before succumbing to a second ABC crew in the final.

In Open Restricted 2 Single Sculls, our best placed athlete was the runner up Theo Stott. Theo had beaten Sam Kelso in the semi-final but lost to ABC’s Thomas Little who had already despatched Josh Berrie and Seth Turner en-route to victory.

ASRA athletes flooded the Open Novice Single Sculls with a field of 13 and provided what was arguably the most entertaining series of racing of the day. The deserving victor was Oscar Forbes who held on for tight “canvas” wins in his semi-final against Scott Lewis and in the final against Michel Dearsley. Well done to all who took part in these races – a couple of whom had literally only been out in a single one or two times but were up for the challenge of taking part.

The ASRA crew of Skye Ballance, Steph Low, Iona Adams and Cheyanne Taylor were runners up in the Women’s Coxed Quadruple Sculls.

Sam Kelso and Conrad Forbes steered an interesting line, but a straighter one than their opponents Seth Turner and Theo Stott to win the closest race of the day; 2 feet the winning margin in Open Restricted 2 Pairs.

The winners of a six crew field in Open Junior 14 Double Sculls were Ashley Geddes and Archie Innes.

Not to be outdone by our Novice Men, a total of nine entries were made in Women’s Novice Single Sculls from ASRA, ABC and Inverness. Skye Ballance sculled her socks off to win her three races and the gold medal. Again, well done to all our entrants in this event.

At this year’s Home International Regatta, hosted by England on the 22nd July at Strathclyde Park, Abigail (15) and Megan (16) , as the Scottish select in Women’s Junior Pairs , and Seth Turner (15), Conrad Forbes (17) Theo Stott (17) and Aidan Graham (16), with cox Emily Murdoch, in Men’s Junior Coxed Fours, did ASRA proud as always , but found the going predictably hard against opposition in almost every case one or two years above their own age level. It was of course a particularly savage reality check for Abigail, Megan, Seth and Aidan, who had medalled so outstandingly in J16 events at the British Junior Rowing Championships at Nottingham just a week earlier.

There is however consolation in the fact that all of this year’s Scottish caps are eligible to do it all again in 2018 and we have every reason to believe that some, if not all of them, given their present level of commitment, can equal, if not surpass, ASRA’s HIR successes of the past.

Just a week later, at the annual Coupe de la Jeunesse Regatta, held this year in Hazewinkel, Belgium, on the 29th and 30th July, in which 13 European nations took part, our ASRA boys - not to be outdone by the girls’ J16 GB v France success - won yet another gold medal in a GB vest - this time at J18 level. Miles Beeson and Robert Powell, having taken bronze in the “A” final of Men’s Junior Eights on the Saturday, snatched gold in a time of 5.56.78 in the same event the following day, pushing Switzerland with a time of 5.57.37 into second place and Saturday’s gold medallists, the Czech Republic, into third. The last time a Coupe medal went to an ASRA rower was back in 2000 in Switzerland , when David McNeill won bronze in the Pairs event.

At the British Rowing Junior Championships on the 14th, 15th and 16th July, at the English National Water Sports Centre, Holme Pierrepont, Nottingham, 6 ASRA crews reached the A Finals of the 7 events entered and three of them made it to the medal podium.

Pride of place must go this year to our J16 Girls’ Pair – Abigail Topp & Megan Hewison - , who, having won gold in the GB v France Match at London’s Docklands the previous weekend, trounced all-comers to strike a brilliant gold once again in the Women’s Junior 16 Coxless Pairs event.

Just one hour later they joined club mates – Ellie Andrew, Megan Lewis & cox Emily Murdoch – to win silver in the final of Women’s Junior 16 Coxed Fours.

Not to be outdone, our Junior 16 boys – Aidan Graham, Sam Kelso, Daniel Lynch and Daniel Skinner, coxed by Laura Barraclough - took a hard-fought silver in the final of the Men’s Junior 16 Coxed Fours, with their J15 clubmates – Seth Turner, Christos Bardas, Alexander Beeson & Jakub Zbikowski, coxed by Skye Ballance - just missing out on bronze in the same event.

Next weekend at the annual Home Countries International Regatta, hosted this year by England at Strathclyde Park, Motherwell, Abigail Topp and Megan Hewison have been chosen to represent Scotland in the Women’s Junior Pairs and the Women’s Junior Eights events and Seth Turner, Conrad Forbes, Theo Stott & Aidan Graham, coxed by Emily Murdoch, will represent Scotland in the Mens’ Junior Coxed Fours event.

At the Scottish Rowing Championships held at the Scottish National Rowing Centre, Strathclyde Park, Motherwell from Friday 9th to Sunday 11 June, ASRA crews won 8 gold and 5 silver medals. A magnificent achievement given the lack of opposition in ASRA’s preferred sweep events and the gusting side winds at the start which made attachment a nightmare for less experienced crews.

Aberdeen Schools Rowing Association have just returned from Dorney Lake – the 2012 Olympic rowing venue – after competing in the 2017 National Schools Regatta. In the premier junior regatta of the UK season, with over 5000 competitors, ASRA returned with an excellent haul of a gold medal and two bronze medals.

On Friday 26. May, ASRA boys Seth Turner, Chris Bardas, Alexander Beeson and Jakub Zbikowski, coxed by Michael McCrory grabbed an impressive bronze medal in the Junior 15 Coxed Quadruple Sculls. After a time trial and semi- finals, the field of 44 crews was reduced six. In the final, a length down from the winners, Henley Rowing Club, the boys had a tremendous tussle with two other crews; eventually finishing a metre behind 2nd place and the same ahead of 4th place.

On Saturday 27.May, the same crew of Seth, Chris, Alexander, Jakub and Michael (cox) entered their preferred event, the Junior 15 Coxed Fours. After progressing smoothly through the opening rounds, the final developed into an attritional battle between ASRA and Walton Rowing Club. The ASRA boys pushed their bows in front after the first 250m of the 2000m race and steadily opened this up to a lead of one boat length. Every time Walton managed to lift their rating and claw back some of the difference, the ASRA crew managed to find a little extra and open the lead back up again, eventually crossing the line in first place to win the prestigious Mariner’s Cup for Aberdeen.

On the same day, ASRA Junior 17 boys Conrad Forbes, Miles Beeson, Robert Powell and Theo Stott, also coxed by Michael McCrory, were entered in First Coxed Fours event. After progressing into the A Final the race started well for the ASRA boys and they were in a tight battle with two other crews. However, St George’s College and Tideway Scullers pushed ahead after 1000m, with the former winning a very tight race for gold; and with ASRA unable to respond to the quickening pace, the boys were left in a comfortable bronze medal position.

In other events ASRA crews gained very respectable results. The crew of Harris MacDonald, Scott Lewis, William Bricknell, Ashley Geddes, Archie Innes, Michel Dearsley, Matthew Hughson and Oscar Forbes, coxed by Ben Milne, came 5th in the A Final of Junior 14 Coxed Octuple Sculls. The crew of Abigail Topp, Ellie Andrew, Meg Lewis and Megan Hewison, coxed by Emily Murdoch reached the semi-finals of the Junior 16 Girls Coxed Fours and the crew of Aidan Graham, Danny Skinner, Daniel Lynch and Sam Kelso reached the semi-finals of the Junior 16 Coxless Fours.

Aberdeen Schools Rowing Association will now be training for the Scottish Rowing Championships on the 9th – 11th June at Strathclyde Park, Motherwell.

Aberdeen Schools Rowing Association, energised by their Easter training camp in Germany, put in a strong performance at this weekend’s Strathclyde Park Regatta in a mixture of junior and open events, gaining seven gold and four silver medals.

There was an excellent win for Junior 16 boys Aidan Graham, Danny Skinner, Daniel Lynch and Sam Kelso, coxed by Emily Murdoch, in the final of the Open Restricted 2 Coxed Fours event. The lead changed hands a number of times over the 2km course but ASRA finished strongly to beat nearest challengers Belfast Rowing Club.

Megan Hewison and Abigail Topp pulled away from the opposition in the Women’s Junior 16 Double Sculls and, despite having to repel a late surge from Inverness Rowing Club, hung onto a comfortable victory.

Megan and Abigail then teamed up with Ellie Andrew, Megan Lewis and cox Emily Murdoch to win the Women’s Junior 18 Coxed Four event in emphatic style.

ASRA Junior 15 boys Seth Turner, Chris Bardas, Alexander Beeson and Jakub Zbikowski, coxed by Michael McCrory destroyed the field of 11 other crews in Open Novice Coxed Quadruple Sculls; never looking troubled and galloping away to win with handsome margins in their heat and the final.

The J15 and J16 boys joined forces to score an impressive victory in the final of the Open Restricted 2 Eights. Seth, Aidan, Danny, Chris, Daniel, Sam, Jakub and Alexander were brilliantly spurred into a late charge by cox Michael McCrory to overhaul a three-quarter length deficit in the last 250m and get their bow in front of a composite crew from Clydesdale, Glasgow and Strathclyde University rowing clubs.

Harris MacDonald, Ashley Geddes, Archie Innes and Matthew Hughson, coxed by Connor Kennedy got a scare from their club mates who led them through the halfway mark but eventually eased away to secure victory in the Open Junior 14 Coxed Quadruple Sculls final.

Seth Turner, Chris Bardas, Alexander Beeson and Jakub Zbikowski, ably coxed by Michael McCrory, then rounded off a successful weekend by completing a hatrick of golds; rowing a mature race to grab an outstanding victory in Open Novice Coxed Fours, leaving crews from Durham, Newcastle and Edinburgh universities – some of the UK’s top rowing universities – in their wake.

On Thursday 23 March, Aberdeen Schools Rowing Association competed in three events in the prestigious Schools' Head of the River Race on the River Thames. The annual race normally takes place over the 6.8 kilometre championship course from Mortlake to Putney however this year, due to high winds, the race was shortened to roughly 1600m.

The women’s junior sixteen coxed four of Abigail Topp, Ellie Andrew, Megan Lewis and Megan Hewison, coxed by Emily Murdoch, won an impressive bronze medal in their category, despite being impeded by a rival crew when overtaking them.

The men’s junior sixteen quadruple scull of Jakub Zbikowski, Alexander Beeson, Danny Skinner and Daniel Lynch came in eleventh of nineteen in their category and the junior eight of Seth Turner, Chris Bardas, Robert Powell, Miles Beeson, Theo Stott, Conrad Forbes, Aidan Graham and Sam Kelso, coxed by Michael McCrory achieved the overall position of 38th out of 350 crews.

On Friday 24 March, the club took part in the British Junior Sculling Head at the 2012 Olympic venue, Eton Dorney. In blustery conditions, three crews competed over the 3600m course against a very large field.

The men’s junior fourteen octuple scull of Harris MacDonald, Scott Lewis, William Bricknell, Ashley Geddes, Archie Innes, Matthew Hughson, Connor Kennedy and Oscar Forbes, coxed by Ben Milne, won a fantastic bronze medal out of sixty-one crews, in the club’s first attempt at competing in this category at a national level.

The men’s junior fifteen coxed quadruple scull of Seth Turner, Chris Bardas, Alexander Beeson and Jakub Zbikowski, coxed by Emily Murdoch, also won a creditable bronze medal competing against sixty-two other crews and consolidating their reputation as one of the best in the country at this age group.

Thirty-four athletes of the Aberdeen Schools Rowing Association travelled to compete in the Inverness Head over the 4500m Caledonian Canal course. In mild conditions, with a slight tail wind to help them along, all crews put in positive performances over the four divisions.

On Saturday 26 November, in cold but beautiful conditions, ASRA raced in the Rutherford Head against a strong contingent of crews from some of the country's top rowing universities.

In the first division the coxed eight of Seth Turner, Aidan Graham, Robert Powell, Theo Stott, Danny Skinner, Chris Bardas, Daniel Lynch and Sam Kelso, ably coxed by Michael McCrory, beat their junior opposition from Queen Elizabeth High School by one minute and came nineteenth overall in a total field of 129.

In the second division our coxed four of Seth Turner, Chris Bardas, Robert Powell and Theo Stott, coxed by Michael McCrory won their junior 18 event by one minute and 13 seconds. Meanwhile the coxless quad of Aidan Graham, Daniel Lynch, Danny Skinner and Sam Kelso won the junior 16 event by 30 seconds.

At the Inverness Fours and Small Boats Heads on the Caledonian Canal on Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th November, ASRA crews braved freezing temperatures and a severely congested course to record an impressive total of 9 category wins.

At the Aberdeen Fours and Small Boats Head of the River Races on the Dee on Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th November, ASRA athletes recorded an impressive series of category wins against good senior crews from ABC, Edinburgh, Glasgow, St. Andrews and Stirling Universities as well as ourown AU and RGU and against equally feisty opposition from their own Association club-mates in the junior events.

On Saturday 22. October at the Tyne Head Races - the Tyne Rowing Club Long Distance Sculling Head and the Tyne United Small Boats Head - crews from the Aberdeen Schools Rowing Association recorded 4 category wins against quality opposition from across the North East of England, but arguably the most impressive performance of the day came from ASRA's Junior 16 boys - Aidan Graham, Miles Beeson, Sam Kelso & Daniel Lynch - who unfortunately did not receive a pennant for their efforts as they raced up a category in the Junior 18 Coxless Quadruple Sculls event , but came a brilliant 3rd overall in a field of 112.Category winners were...